Method for magnetic flux compensation in a directional solidification furnace utilizing a stationary secondary coil

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10760179-B2
Application number	US-201715797799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2017
Priority date	Oct 30, 2017
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A process for directional solidification of a cast part comprises energizing a primary inductive coil coupled to a chamber having a mold containing a material; energizing a primary inductive coil within the chamber to heat the mold via radiation from a susceptor, wherein the resultant electromagnetic field partially leaks through the susceptor coupled to the chamber between the primary inductive coil and the mold; determining a magnetic flux profile of the electromagnetic field; sensing a magnetic flux leakage past the susceptor within the chamber; generating a control field from a secondary compensation coil coupled to the chamber, wherein the control field controls the magnetic flux experienced by the cast part; and casting the material within the mold under the controlled degree of flux leakage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for directional solidification of a cast part comprising:
energizing a primary inductive coil coupled to a chamber having a mold containing a material;
generating an electromagnetic field with the primary inductive coil within the chamber, wherein said electromagnetic field passes through a susceptor coupled to said chamber between said primary inductive coil and said mold;
determining a magnetic flux profile of the electromagnetic field;
sensing a magnetic flux leakage past the susceptor within the chamber, wherein said magnetic flux leakage is sensed by at least one flux sensor at a predetermined location within said chamber;
generating a control field from a secondary compensation coil proximate the chamber, wherein said control field adjusts said magnetic flux that has leaked past the susceptor, a controller coupled to said at least one flux sensor located within said chamber, wherein said controller is configured to generate a control signal; and
casting the material within the mold.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic flux leakage comprises a portion of the electromagnetic field passing through said mold that is not blocked by the susceptor.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein said control field is increased or decreased to control an inductive stirring in the casting material to produce a predetermined microstructure.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the control field controls the primary induction coil magnetic flux leakage into said mold.

5. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the control signal, said control signal being responsive to at least one of a flux sensor input and a flux set point input.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein said control signal is sent to a power amplifier that generates the electrical power sent to the secondary compensation coil for generating the control field.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said secondary compensation coil is fixed relative to the susceptor.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Mantese Joseph V
• Rebbecchi Thomas Anthony
• Breneman Ryan C
• Boyne Andrew
• Marcin John Joseph
• Davis Dustin W
• Furrer David Ulrich
• Auxier James Tilsley

Classifications

• F27D21/00 Primary

  Arrangement of monitoring devices; Arrangement of safety devices · CPC title

• B22D27/045

  Directionally solidified castings · CPC title

• F27B14/14

  Arrangements of heating devices · CPC title

• B22D27/02

  Use of electric or magnetic effects {(for continuous casting B22D11/015, B22D11/11)} · CPC title

• F27B14/06

  heated electrically, e.g. induction crucible furnaces with or without any other source of heat (F27B14/04 takes precedence) · CPC title